f^-&> 


THE  TWO   FAITHS 


BY 

JAMES   O.  MURRAY,  D.D. 

DEAN  OF  PRINCETON  COLLEGE 


NEW    YORK 
ANSON    D.  F.   RANDOLPH    AND    COMPANY 

(INCORPORATED) 

182   Fifth   Avenue 
1893 


Copyright,  1893, 
By  Anson  D.  F.  Randolph  and  Company 

(INCORPORATED). 


SBmbfrstfg  19rfS3 : 
John  Wilson  and  Son,  Cambridge,  U.S.A. 


THE    TWO    FAITHS. 


Jesus    said    unto    him,    Thomas,  because 
thou  hast  seen   me,   thou  hast   believed. 

John  xx,  29. 


THE    TWO    FAITHS. 


/^VF  the  personal  history  of  the 
twelve  apostles  we  know  but 
little.  Like  the  prophets,  their  per- 
sonality seems  sunk  out  of  sight,  and 
their  great  office  only  looms  up  to 
view.  Judas,  the  traitor,  is  known  by 
his  crime.  Peter  and  John  are  better 
known  than  any  of  the  rest.  They 
figure  largely  in  the  subsequent  his- 
tory of  the  church,  and  they  have  left 
writings.  But  what  shall  be  said  of 
the  rest?  We  have  their  names;  in 
a  few  instances  we  have  passing  allu- 
sions in  the  gospels,  which  give  a 
glimpse  of  their  personal  characteris- 


io  The  Two  Faiths. 

tics.  For  a  few,  some  dim,  uncertain 
traditions  cast  doubtful  light  on  their 
career.  It  is  at  best  a  scanty  record 
of  men  who,  taught  and  inspired  by 
their  Great  Master,  wrought  the 
greatest  moral  revolution  known  to 
history.  Reticence  is  indeed  a  dis- 
tinguishing feature  of  Revelation.  The 
silences  of  Scripture  are  most  signifi- 
cant ;  like  the  silence  of  Christ  at  the 
bar  of  Pilate,  they  carry  a  profound 
spiritual  lesson.  In  the  case  before 
us,  the  reason  for  reticence  may  not 
be  far  to  seek.  The  object  of  the 
gospels  is  to  unfold  the  divine  person- 
ality of  our  Lord  and  Saviour.  The 
evangelists  with  one  accord  obey  this 
principle.  Nothing  in  their  narrative 
distracts  attention  from  the  central 
object  ;  no  intervening  characters 
come  between  us  and  the  Supreme 
Blessed  Vision. 


The  Two  Faiths.  1 1 

Still  we  cannot  repress  the  desire 
to  know  all  that  can  be  gathered  up 
from  incidental  allusions  or  concluded 
by  wise  inference,  that  pertains  to  the 
personal  history  of  the  twelve.  Some 
years  since  Brycnnius,  Metropolitan 
Bishop  of  Constantinople,  discovered 
the  tractate  known  as  the  "Teaching 
of  the  Twelve  Apostles,"  "  the  most 
important  discovery  of  modern  times,"1 
in  connection  with  which  more  than  a 
hundred  treatises  have  been  written. 
Should  some  future  discovery  throw 
light  on  the  career  of  any  apostle,  it 
would  be  hailed  with  a  kindred  joy. 

I  propose  in  this  discourse  to  set 
forth  what  can  be  known  of  the 
apostle  Thomas.  Apart  from  any 
general  considerations  of  interest  in 
his  career  as  an  apostle,  he  is  of 
special  interest  to   us  in  this  time  of 

1  Harnack. 


12 


The  Two  Faiths. 


unsettled  beliefs,  as  a  man  who  came 
to  full  and  assured  faith  in  Jesus 
Christ  against  opposing  tendencies  of 
mental  constitution  and  habit.  He  is 
familiarly  called  the  doubter  among 
the  apostles,  and  in  the  Book  of  Com- 
mon Prayer  the  collect  for  Saint 
Thomas  Day  addresses  God  as  "  hav- 
ing for  the  more  confirmation  of  the 
faith  suffered  His  holy  apostle  Thomas 
to  be  doubtful  in  His  Son's  Resur- 
rection." 

It  sometimes  happens  that  a  few 
brief  incidents  in  life  may  reveal 
character  more  fully  than  years  of 
routine  existence.  The  whole  Judas 
comes  out  in  the  snarling  exclamation 
over  the  anointing  at  Bethany, 
"  Why  was  not  this  ointment  sold  for 
three  hundred  pence,  and  given  to 
the  poor?'  An  entire  side  of  Peter's 
character   is    seen   in    his    rebuke   of 


The  Two  Faiths.  13 

Christ,  when  he  said,  "  That  be  far 
from  Thee,  Lord."  Of  such  incidents 
there  are  three  in  the  story  of  Thomas, 
each  strongly  characteristic  of  the 
man.     To  these  let  us  turn. 


I. 


Jesus  had  withdrawn  from  Jerusa- 
lem into  the  solitudes  beyond  Jordan, 
the  place  where  John  at  first  baptized. 
That  seclusion  was  sought  by  Him 
just  before  He  entered  on  the  final 
scenes  of  His  ministry.  Thence  He 
had  been  summoned  bv  a  message 
to  Bethany,  where  His  friend  Lazarus, 
His  dearest  friend  outside  the  imme- 
diate circle  of  the  apostleship,  was 
sick.  To  obey  the  summons  was 
to  face  death  at  the  hands  of  His  ene- 
mies. "  Master,  the  Jews  of  late 
sought  to  stone  thee,  and  goest  Thou 


14  The  Two  Faiths. 

thither  again  ?  "  is  the  alarmed  remon- 
strance from  His  disciples,  as  He 
announced  His  purpose  of  going  to 
that  sorrow-smitten  home.  It  was  no 
shadowy  peril  which  strong  nerves 
could  despise.  The  disciples  knew 
well  the  fast-rising  storm  of  rage  and 
hate  against  the  Master.  It  seemed 
to  them,  it  could  in  fact,  have  worn 
no  other  aspect,  this  purpose  of  His, 
than  a  voluntary  exposure  to  a  sudden 
and  violent  end.  That  meant  the 
extinction  of  all  their  hopes,  the  over- 
throw of  the  Messianic  plans,  which 
in  their  gracious  compass  and  divine 
meaning  were  daily  becoming  more 
clear  to  them  all.  Why  not  linger 
beyond  the  Jordan,  till  the  rage  so 
recently  roused  had  spent  its  fury? 
It  was  no  waste  of  His  holy  works, 
for  many  came  to  Him  even  in  that 
seclusion,  and  believed  on  Him  there. 


The  Two  Faiths.  15 

But  all  in  vain  their  expostulation. 
When  was  appeal  to  the  heart  of 
Christ  ever  unanswered?  Unshaken 
by  their  remonstrances,  He  calmly 
adhered  to  His  purpose,  and  set  His 
face  toward  what,  to  Him,  seemed  the 
duty  of  the  hour,  to  them,  a  journey 
to  swift  and  untimely  death.  It  is 
Thomas  now  who  speaks.  "  The 
Master  must  not  go  alone.  Let  us 
also  go  that  we  may  die  with  Him." 
The  words  spring  to  his  lips  from 
inner  depths  of  his  soul.  They 
reveal  his  character.  John  is  silent, 
and  Peter  and  James.  We  may  well 
imagine  a  momentary  hush  of  disap- 
pointed pleading,  as  Christ's  final 
words  fell  upon  the  little  group, 
"  Nevertheless,  let  us  go  unto  him." 
The  words  of  Thomas,  "  Let  us  also 
go  that  we  may  die  with  Him,"  break 
the  silence,  and  they  follow  the  Lord 


1 6  The  Two  Faiths. 

over  the  path  of  peril.  What  do 
these  words  signify  of  his  character  ? 
From  what  do  they  spring  ?  First  of 
all,  they  signify  what  loyal,  deep- 
rooted  affection  for  the  Lord  centred 
in  his  soul.  The  temperament  of 
this  doubter  was  no  cold,  phlegmatic 
spirit,  incapable  of  lofty,  self-sacrific- 
ing devotion.  He  cannot  live  apart 
from  the  Master.  He  will  go  to 
shield  the  beloved  Teacher,  if  he  can. 
If  not,  then  he  will  die  with  Him, 
content  in  this  supreme  devotion  to 
his  Lord.  If  they  "  cannot  save 
Him,  they  can  at  least  share  His  fate." 
If  the  words  of  Thomas  mean  no 
more,  they  at  least  signify  that  no 
heart  among  the  twelve  beat  with  a 
more  manly,  loyal,  sincere  affection 
for  Christ  than  his.  But  they  do 
have  another,  and  in  some  respects  a 
more  characteristic  significance.  They 


The  Two  Faiths.  \y 

mark  a  nature  prone  to  despondency, 
apt  to  take  the  darkest  view  of  things. 
It  is  the  language  of  despair  and  van- 
ished hope.  Hear  Christ's  noble 
words  —  dense  indeed  they  are  with 
loftiest  ideals  of  duty.  "  Are  there 
not  twelve  hours  in  the  day  ?  If  any 
man  walk  in  the  day,  he  stumbleth 
not,  because  he  seeth  the  light  of  this 
world.  But  if  a  man  walk  in  the 
night,  he  stumbleth  because  there  is 
no  light  in  him"  —  words  which,  as 
applied  to  this  case,  must  mean,  "fol- 
lowing the  will  of  God,  which  leads 
Me  into  Judea  again,  I  am  walking  in 
the  light.  I  cannot  stumble,  whatever 
may  befall  Me  there ; '  words  never 
to  be  forgotten  by  us  when  called  to 
face  a  solemn  duty,  involving  personal 
risk,  exposure,  death  it  may  be,  — 
these  words  kindle  no  serene  and 
steadfast  hope  in  the  soul  of  Thomas. 


1 8  The  Two  Faiths. 

He  sees  no  light.  The  temperament 
of  doubt  lies  hard  by  that  of  despair. 
It  may  consort  with  a  heart  of  most 
loyal  affection,  but  this  will  not  guard 
it  from  the  bitterness  of  despondency 
and  the  paralysis  of  gloom. 

II. 

The  next  scene  in  the  life  of 
Thomas  has  about  it  a  still  more 
engrossing  interest.  Christ  had  been 
at  Bethany  and  had  brought  into  that 
home  an  unspeakable  joy.  He  had 
emerged  safely  from  contact  with  the 
Jews.  Thomas  had  seen  His  word 
verified  that  He  should  not  stumble, 
since  the  light  He  followed  shone 
from  above.  The  path  of  duty  had 
been  the  path  of  perfect  safety.  A 
few  weeks  pass,  and  the  gathered 
storm  was  about  to  burst.     The  Jew- 


The  Two  Faiths.  19 

ish  enmity  against  Him  came  to  its 
head  by  reason  of  that  visit  to  Beth- 
any. From  that  day  forth,  they,  the 
chief  priests  and  the  Pharisees,  took 
counsel  that  they  might  put  Him  to 
death.  The  end  draws  nigh  ;  the 
traitor  has  made  his  bargain ;  the 
money  lias  been  paid,  and  He, 
the  Victim,  will  be  delivered  up ; 
the  last  Passover  has  been  kept ; 
the  last  Supper  has  been  insti- 
tuted; the  last  words  only  remain 
to  be  spoken.  The  eleven  disciples 
are  with  Him  in  the  little  upper 
room,  as  the  evening  shadows  begin 
to  fall.  The  traitor  has  gone  out. 
Christ  sees  in  their  faces  the  pain  of 
the  anticipated  separation.  He  reads 
in  their  countenances  the  dismay 
under  the  gloom  of  which  the  light 
of  hope  was  dying  out  fast.  So  His 
words  must   be  words   of  inspiration 


20  The  Two  Faiths. 

and  good  cheer,  hopeful  words,  uplift- 
ing words,  ringing  words.  They  were 
spoken,  and  He  told  them  of  the 
Father's  House,  many  mansioned;  of 
the  place  He  was  going  to  prepare 
for  them  ;  of  their  final  re-union  and 
co-dwelling.  It  was  a  wonderful  out- 
burst of  glowing  revelation,  of  inspir- 
ing prophecy,  of  eternal  promise,  end- 
ing with  the  words,  "And  whither  I 
go,  ye  know,  and  the  way  ye  know." 
The  response  comes  from  Thomas, 
—  and  what  a  response!  It  is  an  ut- 
terance of  despondency ;  it  seems 
to  take  the  very  life  out  of  Christ's 
glowing  assurances ;  it  seems  to 
sound  a  knell  to  hopes  which  those 
assurances  had  begun  to  kindle. 
"  Lord,  we  know  not  whither  Thou 
goest,  and  how  can  we  know  the 
way?'  Not  know  whither  Christ 
was    going?     Not    know    the    way? 


The  Two  Faiths.  21 

But  was  such  ignorance  possible  ? 
That  He  was  going  away  from  them 
to  be  once  more  with  His  Father, 
that  the  way  for  them  was  simply  to 
follow  Him,  —  surely  all  this  had  been 
taught  them  of  Christ,  and  Thomas 
had  known  it.  What  then  is  the  se- 
cret of  his  word,  "  Lord,  we  know  not 
whither  Thou  goest,  and  how  can  we 
know  the  way  ? '  The  mood  is  that  of 
the  man  who  can  walk  only  by  sight. 
His  despondent  temperament  has 
been  busy  breeding  doubts.  If  Christ 
could  have  indicated  to  him  the 
Father's  House,  so  that  he  could  see 
it,  as  he  saw  with  his  bodily  eye  the 
temple  on  the  summit  of  Mount  Zion, 
if  Christ  could  only  point  out  the 
way  to  that  Heavenly  Home,  so  that 
he  could  see  it  as  he  could  see  the 
way  wind  from  the  city  over  the 
mountain   to   the  home    at    Bethany, 


22  The  Two  Faiths. 

then  his  soul  would  be  at  rest.  The 
hour,  the  surroundings,  the  Master 
Himself  demand  faith,  and  Thomas, 
in  his  despondency,  asks  that  sight 
may  take  the  place  of  faith.  In 
short,  he  has  sunk  into  that  mood 
which  in  the  third  scene  of  his  life 
brings  him  to  his  extremity  of  spirit- 
ual life,  which  is  God's  opportunity 
for  his  final  recovery. 

III. 

The  scene  just  described  occurred 
on  Thursday  evening;  the  betrayal, 
arrest,  condemnation,  crucifixion,  and 
entombment  that  night  and  the  day 
following;  the  resurrection  on  the 
Sunday  morning.  The  disciples,  all 
but  Thomas,  were  there  together, 
Why  was  he  absent  ?  It  is  evident 
that  his  faith   had  received  a  shock. 


The  Two  Faiths.  23 

All  seemed  dark  to  him.  Christ  had 
been  crucified.  Thomas  had  evi- 
dently seen  Him  hanging  on  the 
cross,  pierced  also  by  the  spear  of  the 
Roman  soldier.  He  knew  of  His 
burial  at  the  hands  of  Joseph  of 
Arimathea.  No  outward  si^n  of  anv 
victory  had  been  seen  by  him.  He 
was  walking  by  sight.  And  so  he 
went  about  the  streets,  restless, 
moodv,  despondent,  —  yet  with  a  true 
affection  for  that  crucified  Master  all 
the  while  asserting  its  power  over 
him.  Doubtless  he  felt  that  he  could 
gain  no  help  from  the  other  disciples. 
He  was  not  with  them.  Such  a  soul 
is  solitary,  bears  its  burdens  in  soli- 
tude, flees  from  human  intercourse, 
broods  and  broods  and  broods  over 
its  own  troubles.  In  this  mood  he  is 
most  probably  found  on  the  day  fol- 
lowing that  first  interview  with  Christ 


24  The  Two  Faiths. 

by  the  other  disciples.  It  is  easy  to 
reconstrttct  the  meeting.  We  can  read- 
ily suppose  John  to  have  said,  "  Ah  ! 
Thomas,  why  were  you  not  with  us 
last  night  ? '  "I  was  not  with  you» 
fellow  disciple,  because  I  could  see 
no  ^ood  in  such  an  assemblage.  Our 
strono-  staff  is  broken  and  our  beauti- 
ful  rod.  The  Hope  of  Israel  is  slain, 
and  we  shall  see  Him  no  more."  "Ah, 
but  you  could  not  say  that  had  you  been 
present  with  us  ;  for  the  Master  came 
and  manifested  Himself  to  us,  gave  us 
His  salutation  of  Peace,  breathed  on 
us  that  Holy  Ghost  of  which  you  re- 
member He  spoke  to  us  so  gloriously 
in  His  last  talks  around  the  table  just 
before  He  was  arrested.  Nay,  He 
showed  us  His  hands  and  His  side." 
"  Showed  you  His  hands  and  His  side  ! 
Except  I  shall  see  in  His  hands  the 
print  of  the  nails,  and  put  my  hand 


The  Two  Faiths.  25 

into  His  side,  I  will  not  believe."  Can 
Thomas  not  then  trust  the  testimony 
of  his  fellow  disciples  ?  Must  there 
be  an  evidence  more  direct  than  this 
before  his  old  faith  in  Jesus  will 
resume  its  power?  It  seems  so;  and 
it  is  this  point  in  his  history  which 
Thorwaldsen,  the  sculptor,  seized 
when  he  carved  that  statue  of 
Thomas  in  the  church  at  Copen- 
hagen, with  the  measuring-rule  in 
his  hand.  So  passes  over  his  head 
another  week  of  restless  doubt.  What 
a  week  it  must  have  been  in  his  life  ! 
The  days  come  and  go,  but  bring 
him  no  further  proof  to  satisfy  his 
tossing  soul.  What  will  be  his  fate,  — 
to  doubt  on,  to  live  in  this  blank, 
hopeless  uncertainty;  or  to  go  back 
to  his  old  Judaism,  confessing  himself 
the  dupe  of  his  own  imagination  re- 
garding  one  whom   he  once  thought 


26  The  Two  Faiths. 

to  be  the  Messiah  ?  But  when  the 
disciples  are  again  together,  Thomas 
is  with  them.  It  has  been  noticed  by 
scholars  that  Saint  John  never  speaks 
of  Thomas  save  to  add  his  other 
name,  "  Didymus."  It  is  impossible 
to  think  that  the  Evangelist  translates 
the  word  for  the  mere  purpose  of 
mentioning  that  Thomas  had  a  Greek 
as  well  as  an.  Aramaic  name.  The 
man  appears  in  the  name.  He  had  a 
double  nature.  Side  by  side  with 
this  true  and  deep  love  for  the  person 
of  his  Lord,  was  this  obstinate,  un- 
yielding tendency  to  doubt.  Obey- 
ing the  last,  he  had  laid  down  his 
strange  test ;  obeying  the  first  he 
had  again  joined  himself  to  the  little 
band  of  Christ's  followers.  Then  oc- 
curs that  wonderful  scene.  Picture  it ! 
The  eleven  disciples  gathered  at  night- 
fall   in    some    obscure    dwelling,    the 


The  Two  Faiths.  27 

doors  shut,  a  hush  on  the  group,  or 
the  talk  carried  on  in  half  whispers, 
when,  lo !  once  again  unannounced, 
suddenly  the  Lord  appears  gives  the 
old  salutation ;  and  then,  oh  then  !  he 
singles  out  one  from  that  awe-stricken 
group.  "  Thomas,  reach  hither  thy 
finger  and  behold  My  hands,  and 
reach  hither  thy  hand  and  put  it  into 
My  side,  and  be  not  faithless,  but 
believing."  Did  Thomas  accent  the 
condescending,  patient  invitation  ? 
Did  he,  could  he  touch  that  wounded 
side,  those  scarred  hands  ?  Nothing 
leads  us  to  think  that  he  did.  His 
last  vestige  of  doubt  has  vanished. 
Instead  of  this  verifying  touch,  in- 
stead of  this  physical  contact,  we 
have  the  burning  confession  of  his 
believing,  adoring  soul, —  It  is,  it  is  my 
Lord  and  my  God!  A  confession  of 
his  faith  not  simply  in   His  resurrec- 


28  The  Two  Faiths. 

tion  but  in  Him  whom  he  sees  before 
him  in  all  the  Divinity  both  of  His 
Person  and  of  His  work. 


IV. 

We  may  learn  some  wholesome 
lessons  from  this  life.  First  of  all, 
that  faith  may  be  endangered  by 
false  tests.  Evidently  God  does  not 
want  from  man  blind,  unreasoning 
obedience.  His  service  is  to  be 
a  reasonable  service,  to  quote  Saint 
Paul's  phrase.  Nor  does  Christ  seek 
from  man  credulity,  but  insists  rather 
on  intelligence  in  the  exercise  of 
faith.  Superstition  counts  for  nothing 
in  the  gospel,  as  a  spiritual  value. 
But  in  the  record  of  the  gospels  twice 
we  find  apostles  putting  their  faith  to 
the  strain  of  false  tests.  When  Peter 
would  fain  walk  on  the  water  to  come 


The  Two  Faiths.  29 

to  Christ  he  was  substituting  a  reli- 
gion of  romance  for  one  of  reality,  was 
trying  his  faith  by  abnormal  stand- 
ards ;  when  Thomas  substituted  the 
evidence  of  eyesight  and  touch  for 
what  should  have  satisfied  him,  the 
evidence  of  testimony,  the  witness  of 
his  brethren,  he  was  running  a  terrible 
risk.  Suppose  Christ  had  refused  to 
submit  to  such  prying,  and  had  said, 
11  If  he  will  not  believe  without  seeing, 
then  he  must  take  his  chosen  course." 
Would  this  have  been  unjust  in  the 
Master  ?  Oh,  no  !  not  unjust ;  it  could 
be  amply  justified.  But  the  Lord  in 
His  patience  and  condescension  did 
that  for  Thomas  which  saved  him ; 
and  yet  mark  the  significant  word, 
"  Blessed  are  they  that  have  not  seen, 
and  yet  have  believed."  Under  that 
benediction  this  apostle  could  not  be 
sheltered.     Yes,  we  may  be  tempted 


3o  The  Two  Faiths. 

sometimes  to  insist  on  a  kind  of 
evidence  for  the  truth  of  religion 
which  is  not  a  legitimate  demand  ;  and 
because  we  do  not  find  it,  be  tempted 
to  fling  up  our  belief  in  the  truth  of 
this  gospel.  We  may  be  tempted 
sometimes  to  insist  on  a  degree  of 
evidence  beyond  what  God  has  been 
pleased  to  furnish,  and  beyond  what 
has  satisfied  thousands  of  earth's 
clearest  minds  and  purest  hearts. 
We  may  subject  our  faith  to  the 
strain  of  false  tests.  Every  man  does 
who  insists  that  all  difficulties  in  the 
way  of  belief  shall  be  cleared  up, 
before  he  will  act  on  what  lieht  he 
has.  He  stands  just  where  Thomas 
stood  when  he  said,  "Except  I  shall 
see  in  His  hands  the  print  of  the  nails 
and  put  my  finger  into  the  print  of 
the  nails,  and  put  my  hand  into  His 
side,   I  will  not  believe."     With  this 


The  Two  Faiths.  3 1 

difference,  Christ  for  exceptional 
reasons  complied  with  Thomas'  hard 
demand.  It  was  a  marvel  of  patient 
love,  and  consideration  for  a  great 
weakness.  But  now,  faith  which 
courts  and  insists  upon  false  tests 
must  run  the  terrible  risk  of  finding 
them  unmet.  No  one  will  rise  from 
the  dead,  no  voice  will  peal  from  the 
opening  heavens  to  assure  us  that 
Christ  is  the  Son  of  God.  It  has 
been  done  once,  sufficiently  and  for 
all  time. 

Again,  it  should  strengthen  our 
faith  that  disciples  like  Thomas  so 
often  emerge  triumphantly  from  a 
conflict  of  doubt  into  a  clearer  and 
stronger  believing.  Assuredly  the 
Church  of  England  is  right  when  in 
her  beautiful  collect  God  is  wor- 
shipped as  "  having  for  the  more  con- 
firmation of   the  faith    suffered    His 


32  The  Two  Faiths. 

holy  apostle  Thomas  to  be  doubtful 
in  His  Son's  resurrection."  Is  it  not 
a  help  to  us  to  know  that  among  the 
apostles  was  one  whose  natural  scep- 
tical tendency  asserted  itself,  satis- 
fied itself,  and  finally  gave  place  to 
a  belief  as  deep  and  intelligent  as  it 
was  rapturous  and  controlling  ?  Could 
what  was  not  genuine  have  been 
palmed  off  on  him  by  any  possibil- 
ity ?  We  catch  one  glimpse  more  of 
Thomas,  before  he  fades  into  the 
mists  of  tradition  regarding  his  life 
and  labors.  We  see  him  with  the  dis- 
ciples at  Jerusalem  waiting  for  the 
descent  of  the  Spirit.  No  more  doubt, 
no  more  wavering !  He  has  verified 
for  himself  beyond  all  possibility  of 
doubt  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  and  so 
also  has  verified  it  for  us.  Chris- 
tianity has  been  sifted  alike  by  its 
friends  and  by  its  foes.     The  records 


The  Two  Faiths.  33 

of  Christian  biography  reveal  many  a 
conflict  of  faith,  through  which  the 
soul  pressed  onward  to  surer  footing 
and  a  larger  vision  beyond.  Thomas 
is  but  one  of  a  class.  Let  us  beware 
of  judging  them  too  harshly.  Let  us 
remember  rather  how  Christ,  after  all, 
loved  and  prized  this  disciple.  The 
group  of  the  apostleship  would  seem 
very  incomplete  without  him.  Amid 
all  his  struggle,  under  all  his  doubt, 
he  was  sound  at  the  core.  His  love 
for  the  Master  was  a  steady  and  true 
affection  throughout.  That  saved  him, 
because  he  could  not  wholly  disbelieve 
so  long  as  he  loved  so  deeply.  The 
exquisite  lines  of  Keble  on  Saint 
Thomas  Day  are  full  of  meaning 
here :  — 

We  were  not  by  when  Jesus  came, 

But  round  us  far  and  near 
We  see  His  trophies,  and  His  name 

In  choral  echoes  hear. 
3 


34  The  Two  Faiths. 

In  a  fair  ground  our  lot  is  cast 
As  in  the  solemn  week  that  pass'd 
While  some  might  doubt,  but  all  adored, 
Ere  the  whole  widow'd  Church  had  seen  her  risen 
Lord. 

Is  there,  on  earth,  a  spirit  frail 

Who  fears  to  take  their  word, 
Scarce  daring,  through  the  twilight  pale, 
To  think  he  sees  the  Lord? 
With  eyes  too  tremblingly  awake 
To  bear  with  dimness  for  His  sake? 
Read  and  confess  the  Hand  Divine 
That  drew  thy  likeness  here  so  true  in  every  line. 

For  all  thy  rankling  doubts  so  sore 

Love  thou  thy  Saviour  still, 
Him  for  thy  Lord  and  God  adore 
And  ever  do  His  will. 
Though  vexing  thoughts  may  seem  to  last, 
Let  not  thy  soul  be  quite  o'ercast,  — 
Soon  will  He  show  thee  all  His  wounds,  and  say, 
"  Long  have  I  known  thy  name  —  know  thou  my 
face  alway." 

Finally,  we  cannot  fail  to  note  how 
this  experience  in  the  life  of  Thomas 
gives  point  and  power  to  Christ's 
new    beatitude;    for    if    He    gives    a 


The  Two  Faiths.  35 

new  commandment,  He  gives  also  a 
new  beatitude,  "  Blessed  are  they  that 
have  not  seen  and  yet  have  believed." 
Yet  the  blessing  comes  straight  upon 
an  allusion  to  the  faith  of  Thomas 
resting  upon  its  basis  of  sight,  — 
"  Thomas  because  thou  hast  seen  Me, 
thou  hast  believed.  Blessed  are 
they  that  have  not  seen,  and  yet 
have  believed."  It  is  sometimes 
our  dream,  that  if  Christ  were  only 
upon  earth,  and  we  could  go  to  Him 
and  tell  Him  what  are  our  struggles, 
and  see  His  face  and  hear  His  voice  or 
feel  His  uplifting  hand,  difficulties 
would  vanish,  our  hearts  would  be 
anchored  forever  in  unbroken  certi- 
tude, and  our  loyalty  to  Christ  would 
flame  out  into  undying  sacrifice  for 
Him.  Possibly  we  know  not  what 
manner  of  spirit  we  are  of.  Possibly 
we  might  find  far  greater    disadvan- 


36  The  Two  Faiths. 

tages  to  faithful  life  and  service,  then, 
than  now.  Assuredly  Christ  spoke 
truth  when  He  pronounced  a  blessing 
on  those  who  not  having  seen,  yet 
have  believed ;  whose  faith  does  not 
rest  upon  outward  evidence,  but  upon 
spiritual  apprehension  of  that  to 
which  testimony  is  borne,  of  that 
which  the  Lord  is  in  Himself,  as  the 
embodiment  of  the  Divine.  "  The 
more  we  penetrate  through  the  out- 
ward to  the  inward,  through  the  flesh 
to  the  Spirit,  through  communion 
with  the  earthly  to  communion  with 
the  heavenly  Lord,  the  more  do  we 
learn  to  know  the  fulness  that  is  in 
Him,  in  whom  dwelleth  'all  the  ful- 
ness of  the  Godhead  bodily,'  and  in 
whom  we  are  complete." 

When  that  painful  summons  to 
his  sudden  death  smote  Dr.  Arnold 
on  a   Sunday   morning,   his  wife,   we 


The  Two  Faiths.  37 

are  told,  observed  him  "  lying  still 
but  with  his  hands  clasped,  his  lips 
moving,  and  his  eyes  raised,  as  if 
engaged  in  prayer,  when  suddenly  he 
repeated  firmly  and  earnestly,  '  And 
Jesus  said  unto  him,  Thomas,  because 
thou  hast  seen  me,  thou  hast  believed  ; 
blessed  are  they  that  have  not  seen, 
and  yet  have  believed.'  " 

To  Dr.  Arnold  the  character  of 
Thomas  had  been  always  of  deep 
interest.  There  were  points  of  sym- 
pathy between  the  apostle  of  the 
first  and  the  distinguished  educator 
of  the  nineteenth  century.  Both  had 
their  struggles  and  their  victories. 
But  it  was  this  last  beatitude  of  Jesus 
which  shed  its  holy  and  blessed  light 
over  that  dying  bed  and  into  those 
dying  eyes. 

THE    END. 


